Category: self-publish

Hey! This one goes out to indie authors. You’ve heard that advice to read a lot if you’re looking to up your game as an author. It’s a great way to learn your craft as you entertain your brain. (Not to mention support your brethren.) And, I don’t know about you, but I gain inspiration when I enjoy a well-written story. It’s some great advice. I read about 2-3 books a week. Not all of them are fiction. There’s some non-fiction writing craft stuff in there too. Here’s a shout out to some books that I’ve recently “discovered” and don’t...

I’ve become obsessed with landing a BookBub deal for Allies and Enemies. At the time of this writing, I’m still waiting to hear about my latest deal submission. (So, fingers crossed on that, ok?) Anyway, I owe some of this obsession to the recent post over at Dave Chesson’s Kindlepreneur site. [Excellent place to check out info on self-publishing and run by a super nice dude, BTW.] I can’t be alone when I ponder the questions: who is/are Book Bub? Why are they so powerful? So let’s unpack this. I’m going to preface this by saying, that I based this post...

Yesterday, I read a somewhat mean-spirited post by one of my favorite authors. Throughout his tirade, he maintains that he was speaking to a particular subset of independently published writers that release poorly written stories with zero editing and bad covers. He’s known for these spittle-flecked tirades laced with gruesome metaphor and massive doses of 6th-grade humor. I’m told that he’s actually a very nice guy in person. But posts like this are his shtick. It’s what he does. I get it. This post struck a nerve with me, not just because he called out indie authors, but because...

Here’s a theory—Chihuahuas have the souls of larger dogs (most likely dire wolves) wedged into those tiny little bodies. It would explain why these tiny pups think they’re big enough to take on a cat twice their size or why they always seem to shake. (The shaking is actually their molecules vibrating with the effort to keep all that “big dog soul” energy contained in such a small package.) Like I said, a theory. Consider short stories. You’re trying to package an entire universe, complete with exposition and world-building into this teeny weeny manuscript that shouldn’t be more than 30,000...

As you might have heard, the third book in the Allies and Enemies series, Allies and Enemies: Exiles is due out at the end of this month. It’s available in pre-order on Amazon right now. (Big thank you to everyone that’s pre-ordered already.) To celebrate, I’m offering the first book in the series, Allies and Enemies: Fallen, for FREE on Amazon until 3/19/2017. Chances are high that if you’re reading this, you’ve already read Fallen, but why not send my link for a free download to a friend or three? FacebookTwitterGoogle+E-mail

Your wait for book three is drawing to a close. I’m very happy to say that the third book in the series Allies and Enemies: Exiles is going to be available very soon. My stalwart editor is hard at work doing her thing to my manuscript. Before long I should be hard at work putting her edits into action. Then it’s ebook city, baby! There are other authors out there that seem to churn out a book a month. I am not one of those, try as I might. However, in my defense, I will say that my first book took...

I’ve been going to science fiction conventions for over a decade now. My first one “barely” qualifies as a real con in the eyes of the true, hard-core convention goer. It was poorly attended, run by a company that charged crazy money for the pleasure of sitting in a room to watch some of my fave actors talk about their experience with Star Trek and its various spawned franchises. The dealer room was basically a closet and the food was ridiculously expensive. It sounds like a dreadful experience. But, you know what? I was hooked. It was like the mother...

You stare at the blank screen. The little cursor is blinking away—you swear it’s mocking you. You have to be witty, charming, appealing. You have to write your author bio. Sure, you can talk about your book for hours, but when it’s time to talk about you, your muse clams up and slinks off to a desolate corner of your little mental cocktail party or maybe goes to bury herself under the thick pile of winter coats in the master bedroom. You need a good author bio. It may seem unimportant: why would anyone care if you live in Montana?...

Arisia, “New England’s Largest and Most Diverse Sci-Fi & Fantasy Convention” has just announced its programming for 2017 and I am delighted to be on two panels. Taking place from January 13 – 16, 2017 at the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel, this con seems to grow bigger every year. I’ve been attending religiously, but this is my first chance to be part of a panel as a legit author (the second panel is about costuming). This year’s Guest of Honor is Ursula Vernon. If you’re attending Arisia, why not stop by and say hi? Marketing Your Book in a Digital Age...